THE SECRET OF THE BLACK HAWK
"It's finally happened, Headmaster?" Madam Pomfrey asked Dumbledore as she healed the cut on his lip.
"Yes, Poppy, it has." Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his bruised eye finally returning. "He was taken away to Azkaban where the Kiss was performed on him immediately."
"I just can't believe it's finally happened."
"Yes, it is a wonderful day, indeed." Madam Pomfrey paused for a moment before asking her next question.
"Headmaster, about that hawk…" She began to say, looking over her shoulder at the hawk which was lying in its own hospital bed.
"Has Hagrid taken a look at him, yet?" She shook her head. "Well, when he finds out what's wrong with him, he can be moved. Do not worry, Poppy." He said, glancing over at Professor Bronte who was sitting up in her bed, talking to Lupin who had a very bad gash over his left eye and, what looked to be, a broken wrist.
"I'm sorry, Nikolett, Sirius never said anything the last time I talked to him."
"Oh." Was all she said. He knew she was let down by this, so he placed a caring hand over her own.
"But, he did love you. I know he did." That made her give a small smile as she looked over at Harry who as talking avidly to Ron and Hermione who had their fair share of injuries as well.
"Wow! I had no idea she was part vampire!" Ron said.
"Well, it was obvious, wasn't it?" Hermione asked. Harry and Ron looked at her with blank expressions.
"If you knew, why didn't you tell us?"
"I shouldn't have to tell you two everything, should I?"
"Yes!" Both boys exclaimed together.
"But, what about the thing with Sirius? Do you think it's true?" Harry asked.
"I don't know what to think about that, Harry." Hermione said. "I agree with you that Sirius would have at least told you about her, if it was true. But, what she said kind of makes sense that he was too preoccupied about other things." Harry and Ron stared at her for a second as though they were trying to figure out what she actually meant.
"She doesn't know, either, mate." Ron said, interpreting for Harry. He just nodded as he saw Hagrid enter the hospital wing, a bag of something thrown over his shoulder.
"All right, you three?" He asked. They nodded.
"What's up, Hagrid?" Ron asked.
"Professor Dumbledore wants me 'ter look a' Professor Bronte's bird."
"Is he going to be okay, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, feeling sorry for what the hawk had to go through.
"I don' know." Hagrid said, examining the hawk. "Wha' spell was used on 'im?"
"The Cruciatus Curse." Harry said, worriedly. "It couldn't have hurt him too bad, could it? I mean, wizards have survived it, haven't they?"
"Yeah, but he ain't exactly a wizard, is he?" Hagrid asked, pulling something out of his bag.
"Hagrid, how is he?" Professor Bronte asked the gash on her arm wrapped tightly in bandages.
"It doesn' look good, Professor." He said. "The spell works diff'rently on animals than humans."
"So, what does that mean?" Ron asked, trying to lean forward against his broken ribs, but fell back from the pain.
"'E could come out of it, 'e could not."
Professor Bronte stroked the hawk's head, lightly. "I never wanted him to get involved in any of this."
"Well, you saved his live. Maybe he though he would return the favor?" Harry suggested.
Professor Bronte gave a little chuckle. "I highly doubt that, Harry." She said sorrowfully as a beautiful song filled her ears. "What's that?" She asked. Harry recognized the song immediately.
"Fawkes." He said as a large bird with fiery red plumage flew through the open door.
"Honestly! Birds everywhere! We'd might as well turn this into the Owlery!" Madam Pomfrey muttered as she saw Fawkes fly through the doorway and land himself on the hawk's bed. They noticed pearly tears fell immediately from the phoenix's eyes and onto the hawk's head. Harry looked at Professor Bronte who was looking at Dumbledore.
"Headmaster…" Professor Bronte began, but Dumbledore signaled for her to stop.
"There must be a reason." Was all he said and watched as Fawkes leapt from the bed and fluttered over to Dumbledore's shoulder where he rested. The hawk was now glowing with a bright, fiery light, not unlike Fawkes' plumage.
"What-" Harry asked as he saw the bird glow brighter. The light emitting from the hawk was so bright that they all had to turn their eyes so they would not be blinded.
When the light faded, a loud gasp rang throughout the hospital wing. Everyone, even those who were in the back of the wing, stared at the spot on the bed where the hawk had been laying. Only, the hawk wasn't there anymore. A man was laying there, his handsome face and his matted, black hair shining in the dawn's light that was shining through the window. He stirred, slightly.
"Oh my!" Hermione shrieked, slightly.
"It can't be." Mr. Weasley whispered from the other side of the room, but the room was so quiet that everyone heard what he had said.
"Sirius?" Harry asked as pure surprise spread on his face.
